Lady of the Flame
by angelamber77
Summary: Astrid has an extraordinary secret. A secret she was determinded to hide forever. But when her quiet life is disturbed by an elf from Rivendell, she must finally let her flames out. After learning of the fate of Middle-Earth and a golden ring, Astrid, Daughter of Embris, is chosen to embark on a journey that will not only save Middle-Earth, but also change her life forever.
1. The Girl with Fire

Far to the southwest of Eriador lived a village called Caldwell. A medium sized town with ordinary people. They are not like the Hobbits that live north from where they were, opposite from the kind actually: they were tall, thin, looking basically like any other regular man. Though, a handful of the villagers were extraordinary from the rest.

If you go down the main road of the village, turn left at the blacksmith shop and go straight on ahead, you will find a forest. Now this was no ordinary forest with birds and animals roaming and trees that grow every year, this one was special. They say when a woman is pregnant and the time of labor is near, very rare times will she birth in the forest. Here, when the baby is born, the forest also grants the child one special power. Yes, an insane legend the people never believed, but not to the few men who had their abilities for their whole life.

Indeed, there are a handful of men in Caldwell whose mothers gave birth in the forest and were granted with the abilities they have today. One of the few that knew of these people was Favian, the son of Ethamen, the only man in Caldwell that came out of the great unknown to live his life there. He is a quiet young man who liked people to keep out of his business. Favian never told his mysterious stories of his travels and, frankly, no one in the town seemed to bother on the topic. He was the town's huntsman, as they would call him, and he was skillful with a bow and making traps to catch his game. But it wasn't a hobby he learned when he was a young boy, his skill was high senses which made him the perfect hunter.

He was able to hear an animal's footsteps a hundred meters away, see a clear view of a chantling on the highest tree in the forest, and smell the blood of a wounded animal that was caught in one of his traps. He was a man who lived in the shadows, away from the people of Caldwell, a man who minded his own business and would never talk to others. Even though the lone wolf he was got the best of him, the private life he had would change forever.

It was a warm summer night with millions of stars shining in twilight and Caldwell was silent as a graveyard. Not one soul made a noise of disturbance until a few seconds later. The sound of hooves stomping against the ground and wooden wheels squeaking filled the quiet night, yet no one seemed awake enough to ear the noise clearly. The chestnut pony that pulled the wagon came to a sudden halt after feeling its master tug the reins back aggressively.

When the world went quiet again, the mysterious man in grey cloak hopped out from his wagon and fixed his point blue hat after the wind pushed it to an uncomfortable position. He then began to stroke his grey beard and scan the village suspiciously, distracted by a deep thought. There seemed to be nothing wrong in Caldwell, for now.

For a few minutes, the screaming silence came to a close when he felt the presence of another soul. Turning to his right, a hooded figure walked slowly in his direction. The figure seemed like no threat to him, after searching for weapons and clearly founding none, so he smiled and gave a respectful bow. "My Lady Galadriel." he said.

When it was close, the figure came to a stop and pulled down the hood. Underneath was a radiant she-Elf with golden wavy hair and crystal blue eyes. Her pale skin seemed to be glowing with a natural light and she put on a smile that could make someone feel extremely wonderful. "_Vedui'_ **(Greetings)** _Mithrander_, it is nice to see you again." she said in a delighted voice.

"And to you my Lady," his real name was Gandalf, but to the elves he was _Mithrander_. Gandalf peeked down towards mid-part of Galadriel and noticed how she was cradling a bundle of blankets. "Your journey was safe?"

"My travel from Lórien to this little town in a short amount of time was very secure, thank you for your worries." she said with a small grin. Gandalf knew from there that she must've used teleportation to get here. He was close enough to peek inside the bundle of blankets. There, he spotted a small baby who was fast asleep to even notice the old wizard.

"The descendant of Embris, so young." he whispered. "And it is not an appropriate age to lose both parents."

Galadriel gave a doleful nodded, "Yes, this tragedy will be most remembers out of all the deaths that happen in the world. Embris, my dear friend, will now rest with his wife beside him, but his child will live on."

"Was the child in Mirkwood?" Gandalf asked.

"Yes, under the care of Thranduil and his servants until it was time to bring her to me. Embris had a good relation between the elves there and were willing to look out for the little one until further instructions. The princeling of Mirkwood, Legolas, rode horse back to deliver the child at my request. There was an uneasy look upon his face when we did the handoff, but it would make sense since his travels lasted for a week. He did not enjoy the idea of letting the child go."

Galadriel felt the baby girl stir in her arms and looked down. The baby let out a small whimper and began to squirm her right arm out of the tight blankets. Her tiny fingers flexed, touching the fresh air. On her short arm, a dark mark was imprinted on her flesh. Gandalf gave a sudden gasp.

"The rumors are true, he did–"

"Touch her, yes. She would not be with us today if her father did not sacrifice himself. Though, the scar will be there for the rest of her life."

"There is _no_ way of healing the wound?"

"I am afraid not…" she said with her beautiful face turning into a troubled look.

"She will question it when she comes to the ages of adulthood." he mumbled.

"And those questions will be answer by her new guardian." she said in a patient voice. Galadriel than handed the bundle of blankets to Gandalf and he carefully took it in his arms. She then handed him a tied parchment. "Come, it is time we settle her into the new home. Bring the child to the front doors of the man Favian, son of Ethamen, with the parchment by her side."

"Might I ask what is written inside the parchment?" asked Gandalf.

"Only a small summary of the death of Embris and his maiden, how he is now responsible for the young one and his instructions on his duty."

"My Lady Galadriel (please excuse me for my questions) but I must also ask," He said quickly in hopes he wasn't annoying the she-Elf, "Why the fellow of Caldwell? The child could be easily protected in one of the elven realms. Embris had a strong relation between them."

Galadriel just nodded, understanding what Gandalf meant. "It is a risk I would take, to be the child's guardian. If I could do it, I would have treated her like my own daughter and answered all the questions she would have for me. I would have loved her like a mother would and protect her with all my might. But it is not my place to do so. I am not destined to be responsible for the child's fate." Gently, she stroked the baby's head with her pale hand. She gave a small chuckle after pulling her hand away. "She is warm… very warm. That is a good feeling. She will grow up and live out her father's legend.

"Caldwell is a peaceful village with no tress of evil making its way here. It is good for a young girl like her to live in this place. Favian will help her grow into a powerful maiden and master the ability to control fire. He is a perfect contestant out of the others we thought about considering. He is the only man here who has befriended Embris. His ability of sharp keenness should be a clue of who he really is." Galadriel smiled again when she saw the puzzled look on Gandalf's face. She continued before he could ask.

"Embris would trust this man with his life after their adventures they have shared together. Though, I am completely sure Favian does not know the death of his friend, and he will be heart-broken when he reads the parchment.

"I see a bright future for the young one during her years in the village, but then I see a shadow creeping over her strong soul when she leaves. It is from the Black Lord, _Verumoth_," she hissed his name with tone of hatred, "I fear, and he will return." Galadriel finished with a grave expression.

"Though not for some time," Gandalf said in a reassuring voice. "The Black Lord has disappeared after he fought against Embris. The Lord of Fire's only victory was saving his daughter and making sure that _Verumoth _never laid a single finger upon her. Though he has failed," he grumbled. "Since the mark is very visible and written with evil magic."

Galadriel gave him a look. "My friend has not failed in any way. The child is alive and that is how it should be. She is destined for great things when she comes to an understanding of who she is. So be thankful that the descendant of a great _Seldarin_ has not faced the same death as both her father and mother.

"Now please, _Mithrander_, we have wasted enough time in this discussion. We must leave the child and hope by morning her guardian will find her and understand his important role." Before Gandalf could even move, Galadriel bent down to give the baby a small peck on her forehead and whispered. "_Quel kaima._" **(Sleep well)** She pulled away and nodded to Gandalf.

The wizard took out a weaved basket with grey blanket tucked in. He gently put the bundle of blankets inside, tucking in any loose blankets that stood out, and slowly carried the basket to the front door where Favian lived. Placing the basket down, he put the parchment inside with the child and left to return back to Galadriel.

For a full minute, the two stood in silence as they watched the basket closely. Gandalf's eyes were filled with sorrow and Galadriel's light seemed to be dying away as she mumbled, "_Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'_." **(My heart will weep until I see you again)**

"Our time here is over." Galadriel said. "Let us return to our daily lives now and pray she is safe and sound. _Namaarie_ **(Farewell)**, _Mithrander_."

In a blink of an eye, Galadriel's body vanished into thin air. Gandalf turned to hop back onto his wagon and drive his pony out of Caldwell. Just like Galadriel, he disappeared throughout the night.

A cool breeze flowed through the air making a small child shiver. The baby rolled over in the basket and slept on until the inky black night faded to morning.

~0~0~0~

At the age of eleven, the tot grew up into healthy young girl with an amazing ability. But her godfather, Favian, told her over and over again to keep her gift a secret. He hoped that at a young age, the message would sink in and she'll be able to follow it without being told repeatedly every day. She would listen, but sometimes even powerful people can lose their temper.

_Stupid… idiotic… dumb-headed…. _She repeated those words in her head over and over and tried to think of more insults to herself. She was present in the woods Favian goes hunting in, sitting on an old, dead log and clutching her long, light auburn hair with both her hands. She tried hard to fight back the tears in her grey eyes because she knew pitying herself wasn't going to help.

The girl felt her ears perk up when she heard some brushes rustling behind her. She quickly turned (hoping it would just be an animal) and turned away when she saw who it was.

"Astrid, you know better than to go out in the woods unaccompanied." said Favian while held lowered his bow and arrow in case a wild beast appeared.

"I k-know my way around here…" Astrid sniffed. "Maybe I should live in the woods… never return back to town." She wiped a fallen tear that dripped out of her eye.

She could hear him give out a hopeless sigh, making her chest tighten with guilt. "You have to be more aware with your power and learn how to control it better. It was not the right choice to threaten that boy. He saw you doing—"

"I know!" she snapped and turned back, looking directly at his face, her eyes now shiny and red with tears. "But I can't… it's too hard for me when I feel enraged. He should not have insulted my scars before, than I would not have had my hand flame up to give my warning." She pointed to her scar on her left wrist, the dark color faded throughout the years. Then to her left wrist which had the shape of a flame that looked to be blazing. Two tears escaped, but she did not bother them. "I'm frightened Favian…" she sobbed. "I do not want to harm others with my power, but anger blinds me from the consequences I'll make from my action. I'm frightened…"

Astrid turned away again and put her legs to her chest to weep more. She looked to her left hand and saw little flames lick from her fingertips; she was unconsciously using her ability again. Gripping her fingers into a fist she cried some more.

Favian walked closer to his goddaughter and put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. The two stood like this for five minutes until Astrid's sobs turned into small hiccups. She wiped her nose with her hand and looked back to Favian. "Are you done?" he asked her.

"Yes…" she whispered back. "The world is too small Favian."

"What do you mean?"

"I feel trapped in this small world with people who would reject me if they knew who I was. Like a bird in his cage. You told me before, no one in the entire world will understand us."

"If that is how you feel about the world," he said in a hushed voice. "But you are completely wrong."

"Why is that?" she Astrid sniffed.

"You think you know about everything and what others will think, but that is not true. Everyone has their own words to describe you and there is nothing you can do to change that. Some will be frightened of who you are or will never accept you. Some will see you as a queen," Astrid's face seemed to beam brighter when she heard that word. "Or even a sign of hope. It all depends on who the person is and what their view is on you. And the beauty of it is, you will never know what they're thinking. Does that make sense?"

Astrid thought hard for a minute, absorbing everything Favian just told her. She didn't quite understand what he meant for a while, but thought she could get the basic idea of what he was saying. His little speech, however, made her feel a little better. "I think so…" she said to him.

"Do my words bring you more comfort?" he asked hoping for an honest answer.

She nodded, "Yes, they do… and they make me realize something."

"What is that?"

"What were your first thoughts when you knew who I was? When I started to live with you?" she looked at him straight in his dark brown eyes, searching for an answer inside them but they only seemed blank. How does he keep his expression emotionless?

Favian talked again after a minute. "What did I think? I thought it was time for me to raise a child. When I read the note saying your father and mother had died, I was shocked at the words I reread it multiple times and felt shattered when the news completely sunk in. I knew it was my duty to raise you and I knew you were very special from the moment I laid my eyes on your sleeping body. Of course, it seemed very senseless for the unknown person to leave you by my door, someone could have taken you away and I would be left clueless. But I am very lucky to have found you, raise you, and treat you like my own daughter. Is that a good answer?"

"Yes…" she said with a huge grin on her face, but then faded into a frown. "Do you know of my parent's death?"

"All I know is that they were murdered…" Favian said darkly.

"Do you whom they were murdered by?" she asked curiously.

Favian shook his head. "No, but I can tell you this. There are some evil people in the world Astrid, and you always have to be careful who you trust. Do you understand?"

She nodded hesitantly after seeing the grim look upon his face. Astrid was confused by his behavior when she mentioned her parents. She was depressed that she'll never get to meet them but will of course get over it. Favian was her only family now and she would rather love someone who's alive instead of someone who's dead. Astrid also became quite uncomfortable when she felt her godfather's glare on her left wrist. She tried to change the subject quickly.

"Will I have to apologize to the boy I threaten?" she asked, actually wondering if she should or not.

Favian seemed to cool down his angry emotions and look a little normal again. He brought a hand through his dark, sweaty hair as he shook his head. "You can make the decision for yourself. Who was the boy anyway?"

"Bennett," she answered coldly. "I forget his father's name but he's the blacksmith."

"I believe Bennett is following in his father's footsteps, am I correct?"

Astrid shrugged, "I don't know. He's a year older than me and he irritates me a lot, that's the only information I have about him. What's so funny?"

Favian chuckled which made Astrid raise an eyebrow with misunderstanding, "Nothing… nothing at all. But if he asks what you did, give him an expression that will make him feel like he's insane."

"Alright," Astrid smiled.

~0~0~0~

Ten years have passed. Astrid is now twenty-one and has finally mastered her ability to control fire. There are still a few times when she loses her temper towards those who would enrage her, but she doesn't use her power to threaten them anymore.

Over the years, she has become close friends with a girl her age named Maia, who was surprisingly forest-born just like her and her godfather. Maia's ability was extreme speed, and incredible strength. Astrid was pleased to know there were more people like her.

There was also the beautiful little girl nine years younger than her named Nella, who was also forest-born and had the ability to read minds. She lived with her witch of a mother who yelled at everyone who came near her child or if she saw her daughter staring at someone blankly, thinking she was reading someone's mind. Her mother made clothes for a living and would lock her daughter in her room before she went to work with the other women. After feeling sympathy for the child, Astrid would sneak her out of the house so she could enjoy the outside world with her and Maia.

Astrid began to do this at the age of seventeen when Nella was eight. Of course, the child was scared at first but soon began to grow more trusting towards her kidnapper. Astrid was able to feed, clean, welcome her into her house, and even let her come along walks in the forest with her and Maia. Maia also seemed to grow a bond with the young girl, but not as strong as Astrid's. So many years Astrid as taken care of Nella, that she would have considered her as her little sister.

It was the beginning of October and the winds have gotten colder while the leaves were beginning to change into their lovely, autumn colors. Inside the forest near Caldwell were two young women enjoying their company together while fighting each other with model swords carved from wood.

Astrid's hair grew longer over the years, making it difficult to fight when she has hair over her face freely. Maia suggested cutting it up to her jaw, like how she did to her dirty-blonde hair, but Astrid refused the offer. She loved her hair too much, so she put it up in a bun instead.

Sweat dripped down both the girl's faces and panting escaped Maia's lips multiple times while Astrid just kept her breathing steady. Maia used her wooden sword to block the other one from coming down to her head. Astrid smirk when she saw her friend slightly tremble to the side and look a little exhausted. The fight ended when Astrid brought the wooden blade to the side of Maia's neck, whispering. "Dead."

"What did I do wrong now?" Maia asked.

"You gave away how you were feeling. Exhaustion was written all over your face." she said.

"I cannot help it," Maia said while swiping some sweat away on her head. "But I have done better, right?"

"Of course, each practice will make you better and stronger." Astrid said to build up Maia's confidence. Her friend just smirked.

"I am already strong… strong enough to lift you." And before Astrid could react, Maia swooped the girl in her arms and tossed her in the air. Astrid gave a small shriek before she landed back in her friend's arms with no hesitation and glared at her when she saw her sea green eyes.

"I have told over and over to not do that." she hissed to only make Maia laugh as she put her down.

"I cannot help it, since you weigh nothing but a feather to me," she giggled. "If we ever leave these grounds, I will lift up many men to show my strength. Show them how powerful I am."

"They will be frightened of you when they see the impossible." Astrid reminded her.

"Oh let them be frightened. We will show them that women can just be powerful as them. We will let them know that women can do more then take care of children, make their meals, and use us for nothing but sex. Why, we could destroy a whole army of men, you and I, and they would worship us like gods. Treat us like queens and let us walk all over them. So long have women been used as house-wives, taking orders from men. So long have we been nothing but toys and slaves. I see and understand it today. Women in Caldwell get beat by their husbands, how disgraceful that action is. Are we slaves Astrid? No, of course not, we should enslave the men-"

"Peace Maia, peace. Your voice echoes throughout the forest, scaring away many animals that wish to not be disturbed." Astrid cut in to stop her friend's dramatic speech.

"It takes more than a crown to be mighty and powerful." Maia finished.

"I understand where you are coming from Maia, but women don't have the strength like us. They are not forest-born like how we are."

"You are right my friend, I may have said too much. Though, it angers me…" Maia said, trailing off her last words.

"And it angers me too, but let us not go any further with the topic. Come, let us go home. We have fought enough today."

~0~0~0~

The two young women walked out of the forest to let sunlight bath their bodies. Astrid's hair was out of its bun and the sunlight began to change the color into a furious red. She smiled at the heat the sun was giving her hair and closed her eyes with pleasure. Then when a warm wind blew, some ends of her locks flickered and in a second turn into small flames. They didn't harm her in anyway and she liked the feeling of her hair on fire.

"Astrid!" Maia exclaimed when she saw the flames. "Favian told you before to not let your hair out freely. Put it in a bun or braid." Astrid couldn't help but laugh at her worries.

"Please my friend, I am careful with my surroundings and we are not even in Caldwell yet. Do not perturb me." she said and put her hair in a simple braid, making the flames die out.

They made their way back to the town and as usual, everyone seemed in a hurry to do something. Astrid and Maia walked down the streets and said their hello's to anyone they knew. Soon, Astrid heard her name being called out. "Astrid! Maia!" the sound was pure and very heart-warming. She knew who it was.

When they both turned, a small figure with golden blonde hair raced towards them looking overly happy. When she caught up to the two, Astrid gave her a tight hug. "Nella, why are you outside? Your mother will find you."

"But I must show you something…" she gave a loud pant but still kept a glee expression. "Something I just did…"

"What?" Maia asked a little curious.

"Watch!" she stuck out her hand and resting on her palm was a small pebble. She closed her eyes and seemed to be concentrating on something. Out of nowhere, the pebble began to float a few centimeters above Nella's palm, and then went higher, and higher, and high enough until it reached about five inches.

Rapidly, Astrid seized the pebble and gripped it tightly in her hand looking seriously stunned at what she just witnessed. Maia looked the same way. "Nella, how did you do that?" Maia asked with fear in her voice.

"I just learn a couple days ago." Nella said with a huge smile.

"You can't do this in public Nella." hissed Astrid. "They will see you doing something strange and kick you out of Caldwell." Astrid never thought she'd ever get angry with Nella, but for the first time in her life, she did.

"No one was paying attention Astrid," Nella said in an innocent voice. "I read every individuals mind and no one was focusing on us. Expect Bennett." she just remembered.

"Bennett is watching us?" Astrid questioned in an irritated voice while Maia just groaned.

Nella just giggled, "No he's behind you two."

"And why must you seem unhappy when I'm here?" said a young man's voice in Astrid's ear and felt a hand on her waist. Astrid only brushed the hand away and gave Bennett a dirty look.

"I _will_ burn you Bennett and you know that." she spat at him with venom in her voice and her hand rose warningly. Bennett was a handsome looking young man with light brown hair, and playful green eyes darker than Maia's. He was very tall for his age, looking much older than twenty-two years, and had fairly large muscles from working with his father as a blacksmith. By his looks, any girl would want him as a husband. But unfortunately, he doesn't want any other girl.

"Come now Astrid, you should think before you attack me. Have you forgotten to keep your powers a secret?" he asked with a smirk Astrid wishes she could just rip off from his face. Before she could answer, Bennett turned to face Maia. "And how are you doing on this fine day Maia?"

"Very well, thank you for asking." she said with a grin while Astrid shot her cold glances.

'_Why are you always so angry with him? He wants you as a wife and you should accept.'_ Astrid heard a voice in her head and turned to Nella who was looking straight at her. Astrid replied in her mind.

'_I do not want to be his or anyone's wife. He only loves me because of my powers. After he found out about them and swore to keep it a secret, he follows me around like a dog and never leaves me alone. If I do get married, he will want kids and I cannot imagine myself with a child at my breast.' _

'_You take of me like I'm your child.' _Nella gave her a puzzled look.

'_That is different because you actually needed someone to take care of you and I was the only one to step up. I do not want to turn into a crazy parent like your mother.'_

'_But you won't!"_

"_I am sure I'll catch the madness mothers have with their children…'_

Before Nella could continue to argue, she seemed to jump from realization. 'I have to get home before mother comes back! I will be off now! Good-bye Astrid, Maia, and Bennett!"

"Shall I come with you to make sure you get there safe?" Astrid asked while Maia and Bennett finished their conversation.

"No, I will be fine if I'm quick enough. Bye!" and she zoomed off into the opposite direction. Astrid shook her head with a small smile._ 'I love her so much.' _she thought to herself.

'_I love you too!'_ she heard in her head and smiled even wider. She also thought it was time to departure back to her home to see Favian.

"I will see you later in the day Maia. I have to go check up on Favian."

"Okay,"

"Shall I walk you home Astrid?" Bennett asked her with a little hope in his voice. She gave a mental sigh of frustration and shook her head.

"I believe I know my own way back to my home Bennett," she said coldly. Before she could continue, she caught a look from Maia that read 'be-friendly-he-is-only-being-nice' and gave another sigh. She smiled at him. "But thank you for offering." Bennett's cheeks seemed to get slightly pink as he returned a grin.

Astrid left and walked back to her home. The house was at the end of the town in a quiet and peaceful area making it the perfect place to live in. When she reached her home, she began to realize that the air didn't seem so quiet. Two people seemed to be arguing from inside her home which seemed unusual to Astrid. When she got closer, she jumped when she witnessed the white stallion on the other side of her home. Since when did Favian have company over?

Ignoring the fact that the horse was watching her, she crept closer to the door and tried to listen to the argument a little better. But something seemed different about the way Favian and the mysterious person spoke, almost as if it was another language.

By the tone in both their voices, they seemed angry with each other and Astrid couldn't comprehend what the fight was all about. When they both paused for a breather, Astrid took this opporitunity to knock on the door and call from outside. "Favian, can I come in?"

"In a moment Astrid –"

"Oh, let the young one come in!" cried a furious voice. "I would like to see her." The voice was lovely and very different from someone living in Caldwell. This person must be from somewhere else.

Astrid heard Favian grumble swears under his breath and walked to open the door. When she could finally see his red face, he said to her. "Please meet our _special_ guest Astrid."

She went inside and looked behind Favian to see a tall man with long, golden hair and a beautiful, young face. He had a kind look on his face, which was much different than Favian's reaction, and seemed to be extremely calm. His clothing was, however, odd in Astrid's opinion. He wore armor that looked strangely different from all the armor she's seen in her life and some kind of thin shoes. But what really caught her off-guard were his ears. They were… pointed? What kind of strange person is he having ears shaped like leaves? Is he also forest-born? If not, then where is he from? He began to speak in a voice that sounded like fair music.

"_Vedui'_ **(Greetings)** Astrid, Daughter of Embris, my name is Glorfindel of Rivendell," he introduced himself. "I was sent here by orders of Lord Elrond himself to escort you to his realm." Then he gave a small bow to the young woman. "It is such an honor to finally meet the famous descendent of Embris."

***Author's Note-Hey everyone! I've missed you all! Well, here's the new story. (Yes, I changed Firehart's name because I thought it was too cheesy). This story is VERY different from the first one but mainly because there's no teleportation to make Astrid come to Middle-Earth. **

**So sorry if it took long to upload this but I wanted it to be a really good chapter to begin the story. So a couple things changed about Astrid:**

**-She has auburn red hair but turns more red and orange in the sun. The reason she has to keep it in either a braid or bun is because when air catches the free locks, they can turn ablaze.**

**-She has grey eyes.**

**-She has two markings on both her wrist. On her right is a mark shaped as a flame and on her left is dark mark. I can actually explain how the dark mark looks but I'll have a picture of it on my Bio soon.**

**-She's 5'9"**

**That's all the info I can give about her in the new story. So tell me, do you like this new Astrid or do you like the old one a little better? Do you feel like she's a Mary Sue and if you do I'll try to fix that as much as I can. And do you like how this story is starting out? Please Review and tell me your answers and I'll post the next chapter as soon as possible. And this time I mean it! **


	2. The Truth and Departure

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings series, all the credit goes to J.R.R. Tolkien, the greatest author in the world.**

**Property: I do, however, own the characters, and places that are unfamiliar to the story. Please do not steal them.**

~0~0~0~

"_What?_" Glorfindel cried out and turned to Favian._ "_You _have not told her?"_ Glorfindel was most surprised to learn that Astrid did not understand what he meant by Embris and Rivendell. His fair face now turned into an enraged creature as he spoke to Favian in his language.

"_She does not need to know." _Favian hissed back at him with an icy stare.

"_You fool_…" Glorfindel glared back.

"Silence!" Astrid yelled at them with irritation, causing both heads turn towards her. She first looked at Glorfindel. "Now please explain these to me. Who are you? What is Rivendell? And who is Embris?" she ordered him with fiery in her eyes. She was infuriated that they were both talking in a different language ignoring her presence when she had as much right to take in the conversation. If people were talking about something important that had to do with her, she would like to be a part of the discussion.

Glorfindel looked slightly taken-back, but returned his glee smile again. It was as if all his anger seemed to drain from his face. "Of course, My Lady, but I believe you will need to sit down for this. It will be a long discussion."

As she was told so, Astrid dragged over a wooden chair and sat down patiently while Favian and Glorfindel stared down at her. It took a while for Glorfindel to think until he spoke again, "Tell me the story of your life My Lady."

"Excuse me?" Astrid asked, baffled by his odd question.

He kept his face confident, "Please tell me about your life. How you were raised, and what you believe."

Astrid gave him a strange look, as if he was talking to her in his language again. "How is this related to anything?"

"Just please follow my order and I will give you all your answers…" he said calmly.

"Very well, my name is Astrid and both my father and mother died from the hands of a murderer. I live under the care of Favian, my godfather. Over the years, he has taught me how to fight with wooden swords, handle a bow, and help me with–" she paused, unsure if she should mention her powers or not. Glorfindel interrupted her thoughts.

"I already know of your powers, young one, so there is no need to hide the truth." Astrid looked up at him with her eyes wide. She turned to Favian to get his approval that the stranger was not speaking a lie, only to see him look away in the other direction. His actions made her nervous, but she went on.

"I am able to control and create fire from my bare hands. My powers were a gift to me from the forest that is next to Caldwell, just like Favian. We are both forest-born. I have two scars on both my wrist." She stuck out her arms and flipped them so Glorfindel could see the marks. Just like Favian, he gave a dark look to the scar on the left wrist. "Favian explained to me at a young age, the murderer carved my skin to make these shapes. Over the years, I was Favian's hunting partner and learned well from my master. I have been living in this home ever since the day Favian found me by his door." And she was finished.

Glorfindel had a dazed look on his face, as if he was starting to think over what Astrid had told about herself. Then his eyes were on Favian's and he whispered. _"Shall I tell her?"_

Favian just gave an uneasy nod, trying his best not to meet Astrid's gaze.

"Well," Glorfindel began very jolly. "I must inform you, My Lady, that you are indeed right about your life-"

"And why would I be wrong? Do you think I do not know my own life correctly?" Astrid interrupted and gave a suspicious stare.

"Please listen before you make judgments…," he started again. "I must also tell you that your guardian has not stretched the truth about who you exactly are–Please do not _interrupt_ again!" he said firmly while raising his pale hand high before Astrid could speak. "To begin with, you must not understand who I really am and I believe your godfather has never told you. I am an elf. We are the first and eldest children of our god Eru_ Ilúvatar_. We are immortal beings who are able to live thousands of years and age slower than regular creatures. Though, we do not cheat death. We are able to die from natural causes, but overall, we are a supreme race.

"Now, I must also notify who you really are. You are not a forest-born as_ Lanolar_ has told you—"

"Lanolar…?" Astrid questioned very engrossed in what this elf was saying. She never heard of such creatures before, though she grew fascinated in them quickly.

"That is what we call your godfather," he answered.

"You mean the elves?"

"Yes. To continue on, you are not forest-born. You are what we call you, a _Seldarin _'A Blessed One' in common-tongue. _Seldarins _are magnificent beings that have ever walked the lands of Middle-Earth. They were immortal like us, but could not die from violence and could do many things creatures would dream of doing. One would be able to tell who they were by tattoo imprinted on their right wrist.

"There were six in all; Ario, Olvan, Kallon, Serwin, Vamora, and the leader of the group, Embris. Embris was the one who could control the element fire, making his ability the mightiest and the most dangerous. They lived for thousands of years since the beginning of the First Age, acting as guardians and gods to those you looked up to them. But the peace between the _Seldarins_ ended after one traitor.

"Vamora was the one with extraordinary healing powers and master of medicine. But over the years, his love to assist others was replaced by a new interest he soon became passionate with… black magic."

Favian gave a chilly shiver. Why did the name seem so threatening? Even Glorfindel seemed to shudder when he hissed it. Astrid, however, just seemed more interested.

"What is black magic?" she asked.

"Magic that was banished forever after Vamora took advantage of it. Black magic…" another shudder, "can bring those who use it occasionally to full madness forever. This type of magic is dark and unforgiving when one can harness its power. It will make you look down on your enemies with an expression even a mighty warrior will fear. Your laughs will poison the ears of those who could hear you. And you will think nothing more but punishment, torture, and death. You will want the world to burn beneath your feet until everything living turns to ash and bones."

Astrid sun kissed face seemed to fade after what the elf told her. "How terrible," she muttered. "What did Vamora do that was so terrible?"

Glorfindel expression changed to a sorrow look. "The tattoo on his wrist changed its shape and he hid it making sure no one will see it. He changed his name to _Verumoth_, meaning Black Lord in common-tongue. After he mastered this wicked magic, he slaughtered all the _Seldarins_ who were brave to stand up and fight back. Though, a _Seldarin_ who is able to gain control of the black power is stronger than the _Seldarins_ combined.

"Embris was the final victim and before he could hurt him, _Verumoth_ killed his lover, a beautiful mortal, and was ready to strike his only child, but Embris interfered. Embris would do everything he could to protect his child from the mad god and knew he would die trying. With no other hope left, Embris sacrificed himself by destroying his entire body causing both he and _Verumoth_ to be burnt to death. The child was unharmed, being protected by a barrier created by the parent. It was the end for the first _Seldarins_, until a new one was brought into the world.

"The child was not given the gift of immortality and was doomed to die like men. But power to control the element fire was passed on to the next generation. After the horrifying battle of the last _Seldarin_s, the elves who were loyal to their god found his kin and took her away. The child was looked after by the elves for a few weeks until she was taken to a small village in the lands of Eriador to be under the care of her godfather. And that child was you, My Lady."

Astrid's mouth was gaped open like a fish who could not breathe. She felt a trickle of sweat run down her neck like a river; she was starting to heat up again. Her head was spinning in circles as she tried to comprehend what she was just told. From black magic to _Seldarins_ to being the descendant of the leader who could also manipulate fire. She glanced at her right wrist and examined the scar that resembled a flame. Father, her father was a god. _No, this elf tells lies!_ She shouted in her head.

Why would a story told by a stranger make her believe differently about who she was? She looked in his eyes, desperate to see that this was only a trick he made up and that everything he told her was a lie. She found none. When it all came together and started to make sense, she was outraged.

Kicking her chair away, she marched to her godfather with flames in her eyes and her hair beginning to spark. "How dare you!" she screamed. "How dare you keep this a secret my whole life! _You_, who told me no one, would accept me when they learned what I am capable of! Why?!" the man did not dare to look at his angry godchild, every word she said felt like a knife was cutting into his throat. He kept silent, which made Astrid angrier. "Answer me now!"

"My Lady, please, I know the truth is so uneasy to bear, but I must tell you more." Glorfindel interrupted. Astrid took in deep breaths to try and cool her burning rage and turned her attention back to the elf. He continued, "Rivendell is my home, which is west from yours. The Lord of Rivendell is my master, Lord Elrond and he wishes for you to come to his house. I was sent to escort you there."

"Why must I go?" she asked, her voice sounding stern.

"There is a counsel for all the creatures of Middle-Earth to attend to. You are the last of the _Seldarins_, and Lord Elrond is in need of one at this meeting."

"She does not need to go." Favian said coldly. "She is safe here. Caldwell is where she belongs."

"Do not put words in her mouth Dúnedain. She is at of age where she can make her own decisions." Glorfindel shot back.

Astrid's brow rose with question, "Dúnedain?"

Glorfindel looked back at her and answered. "They are an ancient group of men who came to Middle-Earth after their island kingdom Númenor fell. They live longer than most men, _Lanolar_ is eighty-six years."

"Are there anymore secrets you wish to hide from me?" Astrid spat out harshly. Favian gave out a long breath.

"Before I came to Caldwell, I was once a Ranger who scouted along the land known as the Shire to protect the Free People from darkness. I was an expert hunter who was able to kill any prey in my path. A friend I had, Aragorn, helped me increase my senses so I could be able to track creatures better. Your father was a dear friend of ours and would join on our hunting journeys, and he grew to trust us both, but asked me to be the godfather of his offspring. Before you came, I went to Caldwell and lived here for a few years to keep the darkness out of the village. When I found you on my doorsteps, I knew my days of being a Ranger had to come to an end because my new mission was to keep you safe. That is why I had to keep the truth about who you were hidden because I knew you would never understand."

"Understand? I am no fool Favian, and my rage on you would not be happening if you told me the truth when I was young!"

Glorfindel cut in again, "Please, let us be civil in this situation. There is no use arguing over the truth. What's done is done and we must move on. My Lady, you must now make a decision. Will you stay or came to Rivendell with me?"

It was a hard decision to make. Why would Astrid leave the comfort of her home, and her duties to Caldwell? Why would she leave her best friend Maia and her little flower Nella? But of course, why would she refuse this extraordinary offer? To leave Caldwell and reveal her gift to the world, and to see other lands Favian and this elf have gone too. It was a once in a life time chance to go out and stop living a hidden life. She dreamed of this day forever, and she did not want to turn it down.

~0~0~0~

The next day, Astrid asked Maia to meet her in the forest for a private meeting. No birds were singing that afternoon and the animals were silent. It was as if the winds picked up on Astrid's decision to departure her home and told the news to the forest. In the young woman's outlook, the forest seemed too depressed to behave how it normally did.

"You're leaving?" Maia asked with a flabbergasted expression. "Why? This is so sudden."

"Just for a while, not forever, I have something important I must do. You would never understand." Astrid said, uncomfortable about telling her friend the news. She was not ready to explain who she really was. "But I must ask you a couple favors before my leave." Maia nodded but looked unsure. "Please, no matter what, take care of Nella. I understand that you may not have time to be with her, but she is very precious to me and I do not want her to be alone with that senseless wench while I am gone. And please do my gatherings. Favian is already hiring a hunter to substitute in his place and I need you to do my work until I return home. You remember the plants, berries, and nuts I pick?"

"Yes of course, why would I forget?" Maia said in a defensive tone.

"I am just checking, please be calm." Astrid said soothingly. Maia had a dark look on her face that was mixed with anger and confusion, but soon turned more relaxed as she sighed.

"Why…?"

"What is wrong?"

Maia looked at her friend with her eyes hard. "Why must you leave out of the blue? It is so unlike you to leave Caldwell so quickly without a second thought. Have you even thought about the disadvantages of this?"

"What disadvantages?" Astrid asked.

"What if you come across an injury or men who like to steal a woman's innocence? What if you get poisoned or lost? What if you never return?" she questioned with terror in her voice.

"Maia, where do you get these silly imaginations?" Astrid snorted. "It will only be a few weeks, than I will return to you, your family, Nella, and all the villagers. Please do not be such a mother."

It was Maia's turn to snort. "Do not think of me as some mother Astrid. I would rather live in a tomb and sleep next to chap less skulls and skeleton rats than have a living human grow in my body."

"Same here my friend." And they both laughed.

Nella was next to hear the news, and Astrid knew she would not take it well. The two friends walked back to Caldwell and traveled to Nella's home. They both knew she would be locked up in her room again and did what they always do to help her escape.

Walking behind the house, there was a large opening on the outside wooden wall that increased throughout the years to help Nella get through. A chair and blanket, however, disguised the hole so Nella's mother would never be able to notice it.

When the girls crouched down next to the gape, someone push the chair away and Nella's young head popped out. "Hello, I knew you two where here. I could sense you." She said with excitedly as she crawled out to enter the free world.

"You mean, you read our minds." Astrid said with a grin. Nella smiled with her cheeks flushed. The greetings were soon over and the air seemed to get thicker. The young girl could feel that something was not right and had a puzzled look.

"Nella, Astrid has something to tell you." Maia told her and the two friends explained everything. After the news was finally out, Nella looked as if her heart had been cracked. Tears started to shine in her eyes until one finally flowed down her rosy cheek.

"No Astrid, you can't leave." she hugged the older girl and cried into her chest like a child. Astrid could feel the tears and her heart clutched. She was not ready to say farewell yet. "You can't leave Caldwell, this is your home. This is where you belong. Here, with me and Maia and Favian–"

"Favian will be coming with me." she told her, making the child cry harder. "This is not forever, my little one, I will return soon. But this is something must do."

Nella looked up, revealing her puffy eyes and red face. "No one w-will protect me now. I love you Astrid, and I need your love to keep me safe."

Astrid bent down so the two were at the same height and looked deep into Nella's bright blue eyes. "You are not a baby anymore. You are passed those years of being cradled and breastfed by your mother. You are strong and smart and cunning when it comes to your special powers. Over the years, I have given you nothing but love and protection, but there will be times when I am not there for you when you need me most. You have to learn to be brave and stand up for yourself when you know something is wrong. It is time for me to let go of your hand and let you make your own decisions.

"I admit, I do not know how long I will be gone and I may never return, but please promise me you will have the confidence to do things on your own. Do you promise?"

Nella sniffed and nodded her head, "I promise, but please come back…" and hugged her for the last time. "I could not imagine my life without you." The last time Astrid cried was when she was that child who ran into the forest because of a simple mistake she made. That was ten years ago. She felt her eyes sting with tears at the thought of letting the young girl go.

~0~0~0~

For a few days, Favian and Glorfindel were keeping busy by getting their supplies ready for the long journey. Favian seemed to be avoiding Astrid for a reason the girl could not understand. Glorfindel told Astrid that elves did not sleep as much as regular men and spent most of his nights traveling through the forest or the outskirts of Caldwell.

"Your village is very quiet, Lady Astrid." he once said to her. She only replied with a nod.

Glorfindel seemed to stay hidden in the shadows, away from any villager's eye, after Favian told him about how they were not used to magic and other creatures in the world. Though, Maia once got slight of him when she was with Astrid and gaped with awe.

"Elves… real elves in our village…" she mumbled.

"Have you heard of them before?" Astrid asked.

"Yes, in stories of course. I thought they were myths though. His skin is pale like the moon and his hair runs down like a golden waterfall." Astrid did not know if her mind was playing tricks on her, but she thought she saw a smirk form on the elf's face.

Before the day of departure came, Bennett finally found out the news from Nella and walked up to her and Maia with a crushed expression. "Why did you not tell me of this… horrible information? Why and how long?"

Astrid sighed, "My business is not your business Bennett, but it's an important trip I have to make. And I am not sure when I will return."

"You are going by yourself?" he asked sounding worried. For the first time, Astrid actually felt warm inside from his concern.

"No, Favian will travel with me and the stranger."

"Stranger?" Bennett's curiosity made Maia close her lips tighter before she could blurt out what the 'stranger' actually was. "Who is this stranger?"

"Must you ask so many questions today Bennett," Astrid sounded irritated. "He is a messenger and I will not go further than that. Now please, I must get ready for tomorrow." She tried to step forward, but the young man stopped her in her path. She gave him a cold look and hissed, "Leave me be."

"May I ask you on more question, and then I will leave you." he said. Astrid and Maia gave each other a look and she asked her friend to give her a moment. Maia slowly left, possibly to Favian's home, leaving the young man and woman alone. Bennett took his chance, "When you come back from your journey, will accept my love and be my wife?"

Marriage. He was asking for her hand in marriage. Astrid knew he was going to ask, knew they were both at an appropriate age to be newlyweds. But why did she feel so shaken about this? Feel her stomach begin to float and her heart jump to her throat? She shook her head though.

"Please Astrid I will be a good husband to you. I will treat you like a queen and do everything I can to make you happy." Bennett pleaded.

"No, I am truly sorry, but I cannot accept. It is not my dream to marry and bear children, and I will only love you as a friend. There are other women in the village who are hoping for you to propose to one of them and they will make better wives than I will. Please, I wish for you to be happy, and I cannot give you that happiness."

Bennett's face sunk into a depression that Astrid was guilty to look at. He loved her for many years. She could return those feelings if she was a normal human, but she knew she would never love a man. She was too afraid to take that chance.

Out of pity, Astrid gave a light kiss on Bennett's lips. It was a short one, something Favian did to her when she was younger. A farewell kiss.

Bennett looked utterly stunned at what the young woman did while she looked away, embarrassed with a sickening feeling in her stomach. It was very sudden but she knew she had to do it. She did not want him to live in a deep depression his entire life because she could not love him back. It was unfair to both of them.

Astrid gave a strange nod and walked around Bennett. She thought she heard him say something to her but was too cowardly to turn around and find out.

~0~0~0~

The day had finally arrived and the morning sky was blue with no clouds in sight. The air felt much cooler than how it's been for the last couple of days. Today was perfect for travel.

Favian had to rent a horse for him and Astrid to both ride on while Glorfindel rode his silver one. The godfather had three canteens of water and a couple loaves of bread. He brought his bow and his quiver full of arrows and told Astrid to do the same. He also fastened round his waist a worn out leather belt with a sheathed sword hanging from it. Astrid had never seen something like that before and was curious to see the blade.

"You have a sword?" she asked him.

"Yes, but I kept it hidden for many years." he answered,

"May I see the blade?"

"Not at the moment." He said, unconsciously making Astrid frustrated again.

Astrid wore her usual clothes; a dark cotton tunic, a belt around her waist, and her black leggings with hunting boots covering her feet. Her hair was weaved into a simple braid.

Before the travel could begin, Maia and Nella came to say their last farewells. Maia had given Astrid hugs and kisses all over her face repeating, "Be safe and come home soon." On the last hug, she lifted her friends feet a couple inches off the ground and let her go when Astrid hissed at her to put her down. Maia was never a crier, though, looked close to begin. She then went to Favian to say her good-byes.

Nella gave hugs and kisses as well, but when she parted away she took something out of her skirt pocket. She pulled out something small and metallic that looked shiny and ancient. The shape was a soaring majestic bird with long feathers and short wings spread out. The beak was pointed sharply and the eye looked mysterious. Astrid had never seen a bird like that before.

"It's a pin from my mother's jewelry box." Nella explained. "The bird is a flénix, and they are said to bring go luck to people who see them."

"What fool told you that story?" Astrid asked with disbelief.

"My mother, she told me there was a time when a bird that beautiful and powerful existed."

"Your mother is an insane witch, little one." Astrid tried to reason with the scowling girl. She gently placed the pin on the older girl's tunic and it sparkled proudly in the sunlight.

"Please, take it as a token of Caldwell. That way, you will never be homesick."

Astrid kissed her forehead, "I will wear it every day, and think of you and the village. I love you."

"I love you as well." she whispered back and started to cry again.

~0~0~0~

Twenty miles out from Caldwell and Astrid did not feel well about this. Her arms around Favian's waist tighten as they rode down an unfamiliar hill. The trees were different from the ones at home, smaller and slender with needle like leaves and huge piney nuts. The birds sang different songs that were new to her. The lands were curvier which was strange, after being used to flat ground all her life.

"Tell me Lady Astrid, is this your first time ever going away?" Glorfindel asked the girl.

"Yes it is. It feels odd and wonderful together." She said. "How long till we make it to Rivendell?"

"A few weeks so be patient."

Astrid smiled, excited that her adventure was finally beginning. "I will."

**A/N-Please do not be upset with me or try to hunt me down and murder me in my sleep. I have reasoning's why I haven't updated quicker. Firstly, I had final exams and I needed to study in order to get good grades. By the way, I did! Secondly, I reread the Lord of the Rings books so I could get a good idea on how I wanted to write my story because a minority of you suggested I do that. And I also wanted to make this chapter a little bit better than the first one.**

**I know, this chapter was just Astrid leaving Caldwell and her saying her good-byes to the people she loves. But I promise you, absolutely PROMISE you, you will see some familiar faces next chapter such as Aragorn and Arwen and the hobbits and– just trust me on this. This story will continue, I have no intention about giving it up. I just want it to be better than the first one because I don't want my characters to seem like trash.**

**Also, thank you all for your kind reviews, they really mean so much to me and I'm happy to see that people still want me to continue this story. And if you can, please press that review button again and tell me what you think of it so far. I'm open to anything.**

**Thank you again, and I'll see you next chapter! **


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